He went on to say the number of inmates at the Pademba Road Correctional Center is currently six times the capacity for which it was built to accommodate.

In a passionate appeal to the Hon. Justice Monfred Sesay, he informed the court that there are currently 1,961 male inmates in a detention center built to hold only 324. He stated that the overcrowding situation is the same at the female correctional center located at the former Special Court for Sierra Leone holding cells.

He explained that in the last Correctional Center Report, eight to nine inmates slept in a six-by-six feet room, but that with serious intervention and some reforms the situation changed from four to five inmates occupying the same space.

In the area of sanitation, Superintendent Jonathan Wilson stated water supply is “intact” with pipe borne and bore holes available.

He added that local inmates are fed three times a day with a diet decided on by the Correctional Center, while foreign inmates are allowed to choose their own food.

In the area of health, he told the Judge that there is an in-house hospital equipped with enough medical equipment and drugs to treat inmates and that it is being managed by qualified medical practitioners. He added however that in the event an inmate needs advanced medical attention outside of the correctional center, they can refer the case to the Connaught or 34 Military hospitals.

On education for inmates, Superintendent Jonathan Wilson there is an adult education and vocational training centers for masonry, shoe making, baking, and carpentry.

Giving further rundown of the centers (male and female), Superintendent Wilson said there are 623 inmates with long term sentence – 611 males and 12 females.

He further said there are 165 short term male inmates with 15 female inmates.

According to him, the male inmates that are remanded are 194 while female inmates on remand are 12. He said there are 348 inmates with indictment – 333 males and 15 females. Inmates on trial without indictment are 568 males and 21 females, he said.

Superintendent Wilson noted that there are 10 foreign nationals on trial, with six of them on remand, adding that eleven foreign nationals have been convicted – ten males and one female.

He noted that there are 19 inmates facing life imprisonment – 16 of these males and three females. Additionally, he said there are 40 males in condemn and two female inmates.

He recommended to the authorities to improve on the food quality and quantity and further called on the Judiciary to fast-track preparation of papers for inmates who are without indictment.